The present invention relates to a service-rendering system, service-rendering apparatus and service-rendering method, and navigation apparatus and navigation method used for generating navigation information for the navigation apparatus provided on a movable body.
The so-called car navigation apparatus is becoming popular. Some basic functions of the car navigation apparatus is to measure the present position of a running car employing the navigation apparatus and to display the measured present position on a map to inform the user of the position. In addition, in recent years, there has been commonly known a navigation apparatus capable of searching a map for a route to a given travel destination and navigating the driver on the basis of the route found in the search. In utilization of a car navigation apparatus having such a function, typically, before departing for a travel destination, the user operates the car navigation apparatus to let the apparatus search a map for a route, acquire information on traffic and display the acquired information on traffic on a map. Typically, the user uses reference information in the search. That is to say, when driving a car or the like to a travel destination, the user carries out preparatory commands to a certain degree prior to the departure in order to effectively use functions of the car navigation apparatus. However, the user needs to carry out such preparatory operations inside the car usually at a parking lot. Thus, the user normally carries out preparatory operations such a search of a map for a travel destination prior to a departure when the user gets into the car. Since the user is doing things in a hurry at such a time prior to a departure, however, the user will suffer from much stress and feel cumbersome.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a service-rendering system, service-rendering apparatus, service-rendering method, navigation apparatus and navigation method used for generating navigation information for the navigation apparatus in collaboration with a terminal operated by the user and the service-rendering apparatus for rendering services prior to use of the movable body by the user.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service-rendering system for transmitting data, which is used for controlling operations of a first apparatus provided on a movable body existing at a separated location, to the first apparatus, the service-rendering system including: a service-rendering apparatus used for generating control data for controlling operations of the first apparatus and used for transmitting the generated control data to the first apparatus by way of a radio transmission apparatus connected to a network and used for transmitting data to the first apparatus by radio transmission; a terminal connected to the service-rendering apparatus through the network and used for transmitting data to be used by the service-rendering apparatus for generating the control data to the service-rendering apparatus; a communication apparatus connected to the service-rendering apparatus through the network and used for transmitting the control data received from the service-rendering apparatus to the first apparatus by radio transmission; and a control apparatus provided on the movable body, connected to the communication apparatus by radio communication, used for receiving the control data from the radio transmission apparatus and used for controlling the first apparatus.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation apparatus, mounted on a movable body, for setting a navigation operation based on control data received from a service-rendering apparatus, the navigation apparatus including: radio communication means for communicating data by radio communication; storage means for storing the control data received by the radio communication means; power-supply control means for controlling a power supply of said navigation apparatus; time-measuring means for measuring the length of a time; navigation-information-generating means for generating navigation information; and control means for controlling the storage means to store the control data received by the radio communication means; controlling the power-supply control means to turn on and off the power supply of the navigation apparatus on the basis of the control data and the time data measured by the time-measuring means; and controlling the navigation-data-generating means to generate the navigation information based on the control data.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service-rendering apparatus equipped with a radio communication function, used for generating control data for controlling a navigation apparatus installed on a movable body and used for transmitting the control data to the navigation apparatus, the service-rendering apparatus including: communication means used for communicating with a radio communication apparatus for transmitting the control data to the navigation apparatus by radio transmission and used for communicating with a terminal operated by the user through a network; authentication-data storage means for storing authentication data for authenticating an ID code received from the terminal by associating the authentication data with one of navigation-apparatus IDs for identifying the navigation apparatus; content-generation-data storage means for storing content generation data used for generating a content transmitted to the terminal and used for requesting the user to enter a command to generate the control data; control-data storage means for storing control data for each of the navigation-apparatus IDs; and control means for executing the steps of authenticating an ID code received by the communication means from the terminal by comparison of the ID code with the authentication data stored in the authentication-data storage means and forming a judgment as to whether or not to establish a communication with the terminal; generating a content based on the content generation data stored in the content-generation-data storage means for the terminal with the ID code thereof authenticated; controlling the communication means to transmit the generated content to the terminal with the ID code thereof authenticated; generating control data based on a command received by the communication means from the terminal with the ID code thereof authenticated and storing the generated control data in the control-data storage means by associating the control data with one of the navigation-apparatus IDs which is associated with the terminal""s ID code stored in the authentication-data storage means; and controlling the communication means to drive the radio communication apparatus to transmit the control data to a navigation apparatus identified by the navigation-apparatus ID associated with the control data in the control-data storage means.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation apparatus provided on a movable body communicating with a service-rendering apparatus generating control data used for navigating the movable body at a request made by the user by operating a terminal, the navigation apparatus including: radio communication means for receiving control data generated by the service-rendering apparatus and transmitted by way of a radio communication apparatus; storage means for storing the control means received by the radio communication means; playback means for playing back geographical data used for navigation from a recording medium for storing the geographical data; measurement means for measuring a present position of the movable body; display means for displaying a map based on geographical data played back by the playback means; a navigation-information-generating means for generating navigation information based on travel-destination data included in the control data, present-position data measured by the measurement means, and geographical data played back by the playback means; and a control means for controlling the storage means to store control data received by the radio communication means; controlling the measurement means to measure the present position of the movable body; controlling the playback means to play back geographical data based on travel-destination data included in the control data and present-position data measured by the measurement means; controlling the navigation-information-generating means to generate navigation information; and controlling the display means to display a map generated on the basis of the reproduced geographical data and the generated navigation information.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provide a method for controlling a navigation apparatus provided on a movable body communicating with a service-rendering apparatus for generating control data used for navigating the movable body at a request made by the user by operating a terminal, the method comprising the steps of receiving the control data from the service-rendering apparatus; storing the received control data in a storage means provided in the navigation apparatus; measuring a present position of the movable body; generating navigation information based on travel-destination data included in the control data and based on data. on the present position; and displaying the generated navigation on a display unit.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service-rendering method for generating control data for controlling a navigation apparatus installed on a movable body and provided with a radio communication function and for transmitting the control data to the navigation apparatus, the service-rendering method including the steps of receiving an ID code transmitted by a terminal operated by the user; authenticating the received ID code; transmitting a content to the terminal if the terminal is authenticated successfully as a terminal having a right to receive a service allowed by authentication; receiving a command from the authenticated terminal; generating control data based on the received command; and transmitting the generated control data to the navigation apparatus associated with the ID code.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service-rendering system including: a navigation apparatus provided with at least a radio communication terminal function, installed on a movable body and identified by a peculiar one of apparatus IDs which is assigned to the navigation apparatus as an apparatus ID inherent to the navigation apparatus; a service server provided with a service-rendering function and used for storing the apparatus IDs each assigned to one of a plurality of navigation apparatuses each capable of rendering a service; a user terminal; one or more communication networks enabling communications between the navigation apparatus and the service server and communications between the user terminal and the service server; access means for allowing the user terminal to make an access to the service server through the communication network; control-data-generating means for generating control data for at least controlling operations of the navigation apparatus associated with the user terminal in accordance with an operation carried out on the user terminal already making an access to the service server and for requesting the service server to store the control data; transmission means for transmitting the control data to a specific one of the navigation apparatuses which is accessed by the service server by using the apparatus ID assigned to the specific navigation apparatus; and control means for controlling the navigation apparatus to carry out a predetermined operation based on received control data.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provide a navigation apparatus mounted on a movable body, including: communication means for enabling a communication through a predetermined communication network with a service server for storing control data generated in accordance with data instructed through a communication with a user terminal associated with the navigation apparatus; and control means for executing control to carry out a predetermined operation based on the control data received by the communication means to be used for controlling the predetermined operation of the navigation apparatus.